Adventures in Big Rock
by donaldh
Summary: Pearlie and Cal get sent to town on an important mission. To get food for a month. but they run into trouble.


Henricks 9

Donald Henricks

Mr. Denton

CP English 10

12 September 2012

Adventures in Big Rock

"C-mon Cal! Mizz Sally is callin us." A man of short stature, Pearlie was just coming out of the barn as he yelled. He was only five and a half feet tall, wearing leather boots, jeans, and a black flannel. Such was the attire in the late 1800's. It was also costmary to wear a six gun at your waist. This was exactly what Pearlie had on his. There was a .44 Colt Frontier belted on. Pearlie was about forty-five years old, and could take on anyone half his age.

"I'ma comin, I'ma comin!" Quite the opposite of Pearlie, Cal was almost six feet, and only eighteen. He also had no facial hair, unlike Pearlie, who had a full beard. The only thing the two had in common was they both carried a six gun. Cal had a .36 Navy Colt buckled down low.

"Well you best get your butt over here quick! You know how Mizz Sally is about not being answered," Pearlie called.

"Well if you'd just shut up and look behind you, then you wouldn't be yellin!" Cal said quietly. Pearlie pivoted on one foot and nearly fell down into the mud at his feet. _How did he Injun up on me like that? _Pearlie thought to himself.

As if reading his thoughts, Cal said "Gettin good aint I?"

"Good at bein' rude is what you is!" Pearlie shouted. Cal just laughed in his face, which made Pearlie turn scarlet around the neck. "I'll get you back, just you watch and see." Pearlie said quietly so Cal couldn't hear. They started walking to the main house where, Miss Sally was, standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips in an impatient manner.

"Where were you?!" She demanded. "It has been minutes at least since I've called. I expected you to come and ask if I had donuts made for you!"

"Do you, Mizz Sally?" Pearlie asked. "Cause I haven't had any bearsign in weeks!"

"I'd rather have one of your sweet apple pies I know you been cooking Miss Sally," Cal piped up. His face suddenly turned glum. "And some more sleep. I haven't been able to go to sleep until sunset! And I have to get up before sunrise!" Cal murmured.

Miss Sally laughed her high pitched laugh at Cal. "You complain too much!" she said. "Well anyway, I have something I want you two to do. I need you to get yourselves to town and pick up a month's supplies. Take a pack horse to carry it all." With that, she went inside the cabin in which she spent most of her time.

"Welt, we might as well get going, but we should tell Smoke so he knows where we's gone." Pearlie said with finality. The two opposites went to the barn to saddle their horses. When they got there, their employer, Smoke, was already there, rubbing down his horse, Dagger.

"Hey Boss, Mizz Sally told us to go to town and get the supplies," Cal said with vigor.

"Okay, get to it. And don't you be taken too long now, you hear!" he said in a fatherly fashion, even though he was only a couple of years older than Pearlie. Smoke Jensen was the husband of Sally Jensen, and the owner of the Sugarloaf, the ranch where Pearlie and Cal were currently employed. Tall and strong, he was a simple and a no nonsense kind of man. "I don't want to hear 'bout you gettin into any fights while you're there."

"Yes sir, Smoke!" Cal said boyishly.

Pearlie and Cal went to their horses and started to saddle up. As they came out, Miss Sally was out there with a poke of bacon, beans, and a loaf of freshly baked bread.

"Be careful. I hope you won't find trouble on your way there," Miss Sally said.

"Aww, we don't find trouble, it finds us! Even Smoke can attest to that Mizz Sally." exclaimed Pearlie, looking at Smoke expectantly.

"It's true. Trouble, it's attracted to men like us. We can't go anywhere without anyone picking a fight. It gets really irritating sometimes to go places. It's why I try to stay on the ranch. But you know this, you've heard this many times before Sally." Smoke explained.

"It still doesn't hurt to say!" she said with a hurt look, but with humor in her eyes.

Pearlie and Cal turned and started to leave.

A little before sunset, they stop to make camp. Pearlie stopped in a small clearing surrounded by bushes and low trees.

"We'll make camp here for the night. You get some wood for the fire."

"Not before I take care of my horse! Smoke told me to take care of my horse first no matter wha,." Cal declared.

"Fine! We'll picket our bays over here; they'll have enough grass to munch on." Pearlie relented.

After they got their horses settled and the fire burning, Pearlie put bacon on the skillet for dinner. Cal was taking a long draught from his canteen. After he was done, he took the Stetson off of his head and poured some water into it and let his horse have it.

"But darn it would be good to have some of Mizz Sally's bearsign! I haven't had any in weeks!" Pearlie suddenly burst out.

"Ohh, quit your complaining, you big baby! You're not the only one who doesn't like the way things have been going! I'd like to have one of her pies all to myself right now, but you don't see me eatin' one right now. I'd like to sleep in till noon, but you don't-"

"Well you isn't an old man like me, who should be respected as an elder by whelps like you!" and with that, Pearlie spit in the fire. They both sat there listening to it sizzle. Then Cal reached over and flipped the bacon. When the bacon was done, they ate it and had a hunk of bread to sop up the grease from the pan. Then they bedded down for the night near the fire.

The next morning found them on the outskirts of Big Rock, the nearest town to where the Sugarloaf resided. The town was built in a large valley, named after a large rock near the main road. It wasn't small town, but it wasn't a boomtown either. It was a simple town with simple, honest, hardworking people. It was a Western town. Pearlie and Cal strutted down the main road atop their horses. They stop in front of the café to have their morning meal. As they enter, the owner of the café, a woman with graying hair by the name of Mary greeted them exuberantly.

"Well boys, it's been a while since you have been in here! What will it be for you today?"

"Surprise us, Miss Mary," Pearlie said with a smile. Whenever he came in here to eat, he was always filled to maximum. And Pearlie could eat a lot.

They found a table in the crowded diner, and didn't have to wait before a waitress came with coffee and two cups. She poured their coffee black and left them with that.

Cal took a drink of his and made a face. "It's a bit weak aint it? It's nothing like Mizz Sally's." Cal stated.

"Boy, you're becomin' more like Smoke every day! Course its weak, 'cause you didn't make it!" Pearlie stated. The food came when he finished.

They dug in. In the West, eating was serious business. You could talk any time, but you couldn't eat any time you wanted. Their plates were piled high with bacon, eggs, grits, sausage, and a couple biscuits. Pearlie and Cal acted like it was nothing; they just started to chow down.

Within ten minutes, they were done. The waitress came out to refill their coffee cups.

"Would you boys like some apple pie for a desert?"

"Yes ma'am we would at that." Cal said immediately. The waitress went to the back to get the pie. She came out a minute later, with large slices. She set them down in front of the men, and they attacked it with vigor.

When they were done and gone from the café, they walked their bays to the stables. Then they walked down to the saloon for a drink. When they got there, there was an argument going on. One giant ox of a man in all black was standing at the bar. Another man was in a back corner wearing a brown and green flannel.

Pearlie looked towards Cal inquisitively, and said, "We don't need a drink right now do we?"

"I'm not really thirsty after the coffee we just had anyway."

They continued to walk down the boardwalk, not knowing where to go. They were just passing an alley when they heard a muffled scream. They didn't stop to think where they were going, just to get there. When they rounded the corner and came up behind the dress shop, they saw two men harassing a woman.

"You know what we should do, Pete?" asked the first man. He was a huge man of around two hundred pounds, with an ugly face.

"Yeah, I do, Henry." said the other man. He was smaller than the other, but looked like he was in charge.

"Don't hurt me please, don't hurt me!" wailed the woman on the ground.

Cal couldn't take it anymore. "Hey Pearlie, I think I've found me a couple of cowards!"

Both men swung around to face Cal and Pearlie. "What the heck did you just say you little whelp?!" Henry yelled.

"Only a coward would harm a woman," Pearlie said calmly. "This makes you boys cowards."

"You know what I'm going to do to you, you son of a cracker!" Pete yelled. "I'm going to kick your little butts."

"Yeah, I'd like to see you try!" said Cal.

Pete and Henry started to slowly walk towards them. As they walked, they started to widen apart. It was obvious that this was not the first time they fought together against others. Pearlie rushed towards Henry and got in a sucker punch to the ear before Henry could register what happened. The punch could have knocked any man on his butt, yet it looked like it didn't faze Henry. No one could say he wasn't tough. Pearlie got in three successive jabs to the mouth that knocked Henry back. Henry let his guard down for a moment, but a moment was all Pearlie needed. While Henry was shaking the stars out of his eyes, Pearlie launched his hand up in an uppercut and connected to Henry's chin, knocking him out right away.

Pete looked over to see how his partner was doing, and looked back to get a boot to his head. Pete fell to the ground and stayed down.

"Dang! My hands are going to get swollen now. Cal, you drag the bodies to the street, in plain sight of every one. Miss, what is your name?" Pearlie started.

As Cal started to drag the lighter of the two around the building, the woman picked herself up and said, "My name is Elana, Elana Monroe."

"Well Mizz Elana, let's go to the sheriff and tell him the story." Pearlie said. As they walked between the dress shop and the gun shop, they passed Cal. Pearlie explained where they were going and why.

"No need in goin' all the way for that, Sheriff Carson is comin' down here already. I told Little Rick to go get him."

"Good thinkin'. We'll jist go meet him." Pearlie said happily. They continued down the alley to Sheriff Monte Carson Checking the unconscious body of Pete.

"What were they doing to deserve this kind of beating, Pearlie?" Carson requested.

"They were messing with this here lady, Sheriff," Pearlie explained. Turning to Elana, he said, "You go with the good Sheriff and tell him your story. That way, these cowards can go to jail."

"Yes, I'd like to get your account of what happened, and yours too, Pearlie. And Cal's, since he no doubt helped," said Carson.

As if on cue, Cal came around the corner with the limp Henry on his back. "This guy is _heavy _aint he?"

Pearlie laughed aloud. Elana looked at him askance. "What are you laughing at, if I may ask?"

"Nothin' ma'am, you wouldn't understand," Pearlie said.

Cal dumped the body on the ground at his feet. "Pay no mind to that old man, Miss. He aint worth it anyhow."

"Come with me ma'am, so we can get your story to the judge. Pearlie, Cal, you finish your business, and then relax. I'll find you when I need to talk." Sheriff interjected. He and Elana went down to the sheriff's office.

"Welt, best git on our way." Cal summed up.

Two days later, Pearlie and Cal were in the courtroom for the trial of Pete and Henry Dubois, who turned out to be brothers. They had already given their accounts, same as Miss Elana. Now the jury had to give the final decision. It was a quick one, for in the West, messing with any woman was a hanging offense. No one took with those low enough to harm a woman.

"Has the jury reached a decision?" asked the judge.

"Yes we have. We find those low cowards guilty for attempted rape."

"Good, prison for fifty years with no bail for the both of them. And make sure they go to separate jails." said the judge with malice in his voice.

"Do you really think that Mizz Sally will have bearsign for us when we get back? Knowin' our luck, the other hands will eat them all afore we git there." Cal complained.

"I'm sure Smoke will save some for us. They can't starve us like that forever." Pearlie replied. They were outside the barn, back home on the ranch, and happy about it too… somewhat. After they took care of their bays, they walked into the main house with the supplies for Sally.

"How come it has taken you two so long to get supplies?" Sally asked right away.

"Well Mizz Sally that is a long story," Pearlie started.

"Yeah, one to tell over bearsign and coffee," Cal said hopefully. Just then, Smoke came into the kitchen.

"Did I hear Pearlie and Cal? Yes I did," said Smoke answering his own question.

"Well, it is a good thing I made a fresh batch of donuts this morning. You two are lucky I haven't told the other hands about them, otherwise, you wouldn't have any."


End file.
